Tourism economic policy was set for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to intensify the government’s efforts to promote Japan as an ideal tourist destination.
The number of travelers to Japan has been on a general upward trend since 2003, the year the government’s “Visit Japan” promotional campaign started, although there were dips in 2009, due to the global economic crisis, and 2011 after the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.
Last year, the figure reached 10.36 million, compared with 5.24 million in 2003, and up sharply from 8.36 million the previous year. It was the first time the annual visitor count exceeded 10 million, finally reaching the goal set for 2010 in the “Visit Japan” campaign.
Japan’s popularity as a tourist destination is also reflected in a survey by the U.S. travel magazine Travel and Leisure, which announced last month that Kyoto was chosen by its readers as the No. 1 city in the world.